The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) is one with the Filipino workers and people in celebrating the news that Mary Jane Veloso, a victim of drug trafficking who has been imprisoned in Indonesia since 2010, is finally coming home before this year ends. 

Mary Jane’s return to the Philippines, like the stay of her execution in 2015, is a victory of the Filipino workers and people. Mary Jane may be outside the country, but her struggle for life and freedom was warmly embraced by most Filipinos in the country, as it has been emrbraced by Filipinos abroad. 

This victory belongs to all workers and Filipinos who joined protest marches and picket protests, spoke up on social media, put pressure on the government and extended various forms of support to Mary Jane, her family, and organizations who fought for her life and freedom. 

Let us not forget: former president Noynoy Aquino was late in calling for a stay of Mary Jane’s execution. His government unleashed trolls against Mary Jane, branding her an ingrate for not thanking Aquino for calling for a stay of execution, which was in fact too little and too late. 

Let us not forget: former president Rodrigo Duterte, while trying to distance himself from his predecessor, did not act to bring Mary Jane home, in line with his “war on drugs” that actually targeted the victims of drug cartels. His government even floated giving a green light to Mary Jane’s execution by Indonesia.

Now, it is Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto – leaders who seek to distance themselves from, and deodorize, their brutal and bloody past – who are working for Mary Jane’s return. We are nonetheless glad that they are taking this course of action.

The government that tried to set up Mary Jane as a bad example for the poor not to emulate has not changed the material conditions that bring about victims of drug trafficking. Mary Jane is returning to a country that faces widespread unemployment, low wages, high prices and many economic problems.

The country and the government have yet to truly learn the lesson of Mary Jane. We need to create decent jobs in the country, not by relying on foreign investors, but by developing the country’s agriculture and industry. The government has become overdependent on the export of its people that it has failed to address the basic problems of the country’s economy. 

Welcome home, Mary Jane. The Filipino workers and people continue to embrace you warmly. Let us continue the fight for decent jobs and labor and human rights in the country.